Pakistan

Current issues and comments...

Army operation in Swat has reached a stage where troops are in the process of encircling towns. Whereas majority of the residents have left, there are still a reasonable number of civilians who continue to stick on to their houses. Troops and Taliban have their respective lines of communication to feed them, these civilians stuck in between have no such arrangement. Not only that, these civilians are considered foes by troops and Taliban alike. There are some civilians who have been made hostage by Taliban to serve as human shield against troops closing in. It's a very dicey situation. Army has to be extra ordinarily careful to see that the collateral damage in terms of loss of innocent lives is restricted to the minimum.